Author's Note: Writing scheming Goa'uld is not easy...but it's a lot of fun...I hope that the scheming makes sense to everyone!


Zaren was trying to keep calm but his mistress was making it difficult.

"My lady…by all accounts he is a very devious player of the game. You may think that you are merely toying with him but he will remember every slight and return it when it will hurt you the most – I am sure of it."

Niobe sat upon a stool in her chambers, having dismissed the servants, and was idly running a brush through her hair. To all appearances she was ignoring him.

"You cannot play games with this lord…"

"I have all ready played games with him, Zaren, and it was most entertaining."

"I am not talking about board games from the court of Yu!" He swore under his breath, his normally calm demeanour being sorely tested this morning. "Ba'al is dangerous. Our Lord Ra wishes to bring him into the court for two reasons: one is to have him close to watch him and the other is to make it easier to destroy him if he is seen to attempt any action against our lord."

"I know." She was so calm, so dismissive even. How she could behave like this when there was so much she didn't understand, Zaren didn't know. He tried again.

"My lady, please, listen to me…"

She turned, fixing him with her gaze and smiled.

"I know what I am doing, Zaren. I have interest for him - I am a puzzle, a challenge. He will not back down until he has solved the puzzle, met the challenge. That is who he is."

She rose, wandering over to the Gō board, set with pieces from the last game where she had analysed the play.

"And I intend for him to become so involved with understanding me that by the time he realises he is surrounded," She moved a black stone so a single white was abandoned in a sea of darkness. "It will be too late for him to escape."

She swept the white stone up into her fist and pressed her hand against her lips, a satisfied smile dancing over her face. Zaren stared at her.

"My lady…you are learning well from Ra…you are learning very well indeed."

She smiled at the Jaffa she intended to make her First Prime once she escaped the influence of Ra.

"Tell me Zaren: would you serve me?"

He looked at her, shock rippling over his features. She waited expectantly.

"Til death, my lady." He breathed as he sank to his knees. Niobe crossed to lean down and brush a kiss on his forehead. He looked up at her, adding, "I have always served you."

"I am glad to hear it." She took a deep breath. "Because I have my reasons for doing as I am doing, Zaren, and I need to know that I have your strength beside me. It is vital if I am to succeed."

The big man rose, his charcoal eyes blazing with his devotion to her.

"I will not be separated from you side, mistress."

She pouted at him playfully.

"Don't call me that – I am not your mistress. You are my counsel, not my slave." When he gave her a sharp look she clarified, "I would never order you to do anything if you believed it would be detrimental to our cause, Zaren."

"You see into my heart, Niobe." He blinked, hard. "I didn't know you wished to be…"

Quickly she put a finger over his lips, silencing him.

"Never say it. To say it is to invite doom. Dream it, believe it, have faith that we shall achieve it but never say it." Her passion burned in her face. Zaren nodded his acquiescence and she stepped back, resuming her haughty pose and the role of an almighty god. "My lord Ra is teaching me much – I must begin to prepare for the day I can command armies and land on his behalf."

Conspirators suddenly, the Jaffa and the Goa'uld looked at each other. Zaren responded in a devout tone.

"Of course. Do you wish me to bring you any of the latest intelligence?"

"Come…show me what you currently understand." She swept over to a view screen and selected a map of Ra's territory. Once Zaren was standing beside her, she whispered, "Tell me, Zaren, how many would pledge themselves to me?"

He replied, "As many as I can find."

Her voice low, her eyes hard, her expression determined, Niobe ordered, "Do it."


Ba'al sat upon his throne, toying with the crystal goblet in his hands. He was considering his position carefully. Ra was watching him – he knew that – and he was also aware of the possible dangers of playing any of the other System Lords off the Supreme Lord. Of course, if he could create enough of a situation between two of the others, without being seen as complicit, then it would give him a small amount of time in which to further his own plans. Finding the perfect ignition and the correct fire to ignite – that was going to take some work. His intelligence network was still in its infancy and he doubted that it would provide anything of sufficient value for his needs. He needed something of real worth.

He smiled then, his thoughts turning from his current plotting to the young woman in Ra's court. She was indeed a worthy opponent, although she wasn't yet fully aware of it. With another hundred or so years of practise, she could rival him nicely – the thought of battling against her for domination gave him a sharp sense of pleasure. Then he frowned. If she was being so carefully cultivated by Ra then there was a purpose to it, a reason behind her existence that meant Ra guarded her almost jealously.

Ba'al raised an eyebrow in thought and his lo'tar immediately stepped forward.

"Send a message to the First Prime of Lord Ra. Inform him that I am at his disposal regarding the small favour we discussed over dinner and would be honoured were he to accept my services."

The lo'tar hurried away to deliver the message to his own First Prime, leaving Ba'al alone in his chambers, still idly toying with the crystal goblet, his thoughts firmly anchored on Niobe.

I will discover what purpose she is being groomed for and perhaps, just perhaps, that purpose can serve my agenda as well.

With that thought in mind, Ba'al sat back in his throne, his trademark sardonic smile slowly spreading until it became a cruel, anticipatory grin.